Submission to the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties Inquiry into the China-Australia FTA

August 2015

The Business Council strongly supports the ChAFTA, as it ensures a competitive edge for Australia's trade in our most important sectors with our largest trading partner.

The Business Council approached its assessment of ChAFTA with the view of testing whether the safeguards and compliance measures outlines in the agreement were satisfactory to maintaining the integrity of Australian jobs and Australian businesses.

On balance, the Business Council is satisfied the agreement has satisfactory safeguards to address these issues, and the JSCOT should recommend the government ratify this agreement in 2015. The JSCOT should focus its attention on compliance and enforcement of existing arrangements.